Awakenings from Then ’til Now allows you to Embrace Your Past, Empower the Present, Enrich Your Future.

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Life IS history in the making. Every word we say, everything we do becomes history the moment it is said or done. Life void of memories leaves nothing but emptiness. For those who might consider history boring, think again: It is who we are, what we do and why we are here. We are certainly individuals in our thoughts and deeds but we all germinated from seeds planted long, long ago.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

♫Oh, Pretty Woman!♫

It is not unusual for a novel to become a movie. Many classics have resounded their presence decade after decade upon the silver screen. Among the greats are Gone With the Wind, The Great Gatsby, The Last Picture Show, To Kill a Mockingbird, just to name a few. There are also movie series, such as Harry Potter and Twilight. Less known are the songs that have been made into movies. A few that immediately come to mind are Stand By Me, La Bamba, Walk the Line, Cold Miner's Daughter and The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia. The song in the spotlight today is still going strong over 50 years after its release with the movie being an all-time favorite.

Roy Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, best known for his trademark sunglasses, distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads with a typical theme of heartache. Music scholars have suggested that Orbison had a three- or four-octave
range and his powerful, impassioned voice earned him the sobriquet "the
Caruso of Rock." In fact it is claimed that The Big O and Enrico Caruso
were the only 20th century tenors capable of hitting E over high C.

1964Roy Orbison's 'Oh, Pretty Woman' was released in the US. It went
on to reach No.1 four weeks later. In the UK, Orbison was the only American artist to have a No.1 UK hit, and he did it twice - with "(Oh) Pretty Woman" and "It's Over."

Orbison co-wrote 'Oh, Pretty Woman' with Bill Dees in 1964 in tribute to
Orbison’s first wife, Claudette, after the two had separated, divorced and
then reunited. Speaking about the song’s genesis on NPR
in 2008, Dees said: “[Claudette] came bopping down the stairs and said,
‘Give me some money’. ‘What do you need money for?’ [Roy] said. She said
‘Well, I’ve got to go to the store’, and as she walked away they were
whispering and kissing bye bye, away from me. I stood up at the table, and
he came back to the table, and I said ‘Does this sound funny? [singing]
Pretty woman, don’t need no money’. He laughed, and he said ‘There’s nothing
funny about pretty woman’. He right away started, [singing] ‘Pretty woman,
walking down the street’. By the time she got back, we had it written.” Read MORE...

The film, Pretty Woman, was widely successful at the box office and became one of the highest-grossing films of 1990. In fact, it is one of the most popular films of all time resulting in the highest number of ticket sales in the US ever for a romantic comedy.

The original ending for the film, Pretty Woman, was not a Cinderella fairy tale. In fact, it has become a footnote in the history of a widely successful and deeply loved film. The insistence of one modern twist turned a dark drama into a fairy tale ending. Check out...

Orbison received a posthumous Grammy in 1991 for the live version of 'Oh,
Pretty Woman' from his 1987 Black & White Night concert, which was aired
as an HBO television special in January 1988. Featuring an star-powered
backing band including Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, k.d. lang, T Bone Burnett and Bruce Springsteen, it’s a mark of Orbison’s presence and status on stage
that the focus always remains on him.

Fifty-two years from release, Orbison’s best-known song and defining classic
still sounds fresh. Bill Dees recounts how the distinctive growling cry of "Mercy" came
about: "I can't do that growl like Roy, but the "Mercy" is mine. I used
to say that all the time when I saw a pretty woman or had some good
food. Still do." Reflection on Roy Orbison...Mercy, indeed.

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About Me

Sharla is a graduate of Troy State University and an educator with a flair for writing in poetic verse. Her latest book, Awakenings from Then ’til Now is available from Tate Publishing. It is dedicated to those who laid the foundation and established the platform for our American freedom: those who have served in the past, presently serve, or will serve our military forces in the future. A profound appreciation is extended for the sacrifice of these brave men and women who left or will leave their homes and family to ensure America’s freedom endures.

A grave price is being paid every moment of every day of the year for all the freedom America has to offer. Let us not forget those who have fought or are fighting for our nation; they are the epitome of the human spirit called freedom!